The Mad Tinkering Peach
by Intercontinental
Summary: Momo. Eccentric genius with a few quirks. This story will explore scientific intrigue, personal feelings, and establish a continuity for possible future stories.
1. Chapter 1

Momo: The Mad Tinkering Peach.

Myria had been defeated. The world was relatively unchanged. The main differences were that now there was life starting to sprout in the once notorious Desert of Death and the ferocious sea had calmed greatly, allowing people to cross at their leisure.

The vast majority of the world had not even noticed that the overly protective mother figure that doted over them was no longer there. Life went on.

* * *

Two full years later.

* * *

Momo, the engineer with a thirst for knowledge that was pretty much unable to be quenched, was in her tower. It was a day like any other, as she was toiling, tinkering, and playing with machines she had brought back over from the other side of the world.

Unbeknownst to Momo, some of her friends had been planning a little reunion. Ryu, prodigal son of the Brood, Rei, metamorphing Woren ninja, and Nina, princess of Windia's Wing Clan, had all gathered at the base of Momo's tower. While Ryu and Rei still lived together as brothers in the Cedar Wood, it had been some time since they had all been together. Princess Nina wanted to "get the band back together" for old times' sake.

They had been through the Tower before and even over the course of two years passing, not much had changed. There were still machine parts all over the place and random beasts and robot soldiers roaming about. Nothing a dragon, a weretiger, and a powerful sorceress couldn't handle. They made their way through the Tower with about as much trouble as a girl with big breasts has getting free drinks at a bar. When they broke the plane of the top floor, Honey, Momo's navigator unit and sidekick, recognized them immediately.

"Honey!", Princess Nina squealed. "It has been a long time, hasn't it?"

"Seven hundred thirty one days, six hours and twenty five minutes, princess," Honey replied in a high pitched, almost monotone voice.

The three friends were all taken aback by Honey's response. They had never heard Honey speak before. They had all just figured she couldn't. "Well, don't that just beat all," Rei said.

"The sudden change in your body language suggests you are all now experiencing surprise and awe. Allow me to explain. All Navigator units were created with the ability to speak. My voice modulator was damaged before Momo found and reactivated me. She learned how to fix it while studying other machines brought back from Station Myria."

"That girl never ceases to amaze me," Nina said. "I swear I would trade my seat in the royal family for even a fraction of her hyper intellect."

"I will relay your compliment to her," Honey said. "She is currently in Lab 4 past the library."

"Can we go talk to her?" Rei asked.

"Of course. While she always remains busy, Momo always welcomes visitors," Honey replied.

"Sweet! Let's go see our mad scientist," Rei said as Nina knelt next to Honey and picked her up.

"Lab 4?" Ryu pondered aloud. "I thought Professor Repsol only had three labs in the tower."

"Momo added Lab 4 after our return from our latest excavation tour of the wreckage of Station Myria," Honey explained. "She uses it to house her experiments in the field of genetics."

"Oh, okay." Ryu said. "Genetics." He leaned toward Princess Nina and whispered, "What's genetics?"

She looked at him with just as puzzled a look on her face as he had on his and shrugged her shoulders.

* * *

They passed through the library and into the new wing of the Tower that was home to Lab 4. As they walked in, they all saw a large glass tube on the far wall filled with an odd thick blue liquid. Floating in it was an obscured mass that none of them could identify. Then they heard the voice from above on a catwalk that stretched around a corner.

"How is the internal pressure for the chamber holding up down there?" the voice said.

Suddenly and surprisingly, they heard the same voice come from the ground level. "Pressure is stable and initial vitals are green. The new instant self correction protocols we added are working like a charm. We can pop the cap any time now."

The voice was definitely Momo's, but why were they hearing it in two different places?

The voice above them spoke again. "Okay, I am setting the auto-pilot program to drain the tank after a full diagnostic runs and comes back negative for issues. It should be about forty five minutes."

"Roger," called the lower voice. "Grab a bite in the meantime?"

"Okay."

What happened next shook the three friends to their very cores. From the catwalk above them they saw Momo round the corner and come down a ladder. From a door directly to the left of the large tube, they also saw Momo, only she was a bit different. The second one looked exactly like the Momo they knew, same outfit, same glasses, everything. Except that she was platinum blonde (almost white with a sheen that was nearly silver) instead of a redhead.

Both Momos saw their friends at the same time. In perfect sync, they spoke. "Oh, hi guys. Long time, no see."

Ryu, Rei, and Nina all stared with mouths agape. It stayed awkwardly quiet for a moment until Honey broke the silence. "Momo, I believe introductions are in order."

The redhead stepped up. "Oh, right! Silly me. She already knows you all, but Ryu, Rei, Princess, this is Hana. She is me." The white haired Momo pushed her glasses from the bridge of her nose all the way to her face and then waved. "Well, she is sort of me," Momo continued. "She is my genetically perfect twin, inclusive of my memories." Momo and Hana could see the unending confusion that gripped their friends.

Hana stepped forward and spoke up. "Do you remember at Station Myria when we had to cut down those perfect matches of some of the enemies we encountered before? The Sample guys in that lab? I'm the same thing. Only I'm not evil and won't try to kill you." Hana paused a moment, then with a grin continued. "That is unless of course you give me a reason."

"Exactly," Momo said. "I learned how to use the cloning technique from files and info Honey and I recovered from the wreckage of the station and used a sample of my own genetic material as a test. It all went perfectly and the result was Hana. When I pulled her from the tank, I gave her the option to go where ever she pleased and do whatever her heart desired. Being a perfect copy of me, she naturally wanted to stay here at the tower and get right to work. The only difference between us is that I modified her genes to change her hair color so we could be told apart. And because of a miscalculation, I also changed her dexterity by accident. She is right handed."

Still flabbergasted, Rei approached the twins. "She is all of you? Like everything?" he asked as his head whipped back and forth between the two of them.

"Everything," Hana replied as she put her hands on her hips and her ears perked up a bit. "I'm a 100% complete physical copy of her and I have all her memories up until the moment she took the sample of herself to clone. My first personal memory is of Momo pulling me from the cloning tank."

"You're like really are all her?" Rei asked again, almost in disbelief. "Do you have that same little birthmark on your right butt cheek that she has?" Before the words even fully left his mouth, Rei knew he would regret that…

Once again in perfect sync, they spoke. "What?!" they screeched as they both instinctively grabbed at the cheek in question. "How do you know about that?!"

Just then, Honey jumped out of Nina's arms and made her way to a desk in the lab, where she took up a perch. A small port on her chest opened and from it, poured an odd light. She was projecting a moving image onto the wall and playing back audio through her voice box. The group could hear the sound of a shower running and they all looked to the projection. The image being produced was recorded by Honey through her own eyes while Ryu and his group were on the Black Ship crossing the sea.

In the video, Honey was in the shower room the team had designated for the women, waiting in the corner for Momo to finish. She looked up and could see Momo's obscured naked form in the shower stall through the opaque glass door. Honey heard a small noise and looked slightly to her right. A panel in the ceiling was moved a bit to one side and she could just barely see Rei there, observing intently.

Knowing he was likely in for not just one, but two hellacious beatings, Rei backed up nervously with his hands up in front of him in surrender. Momo and Hana both summoned their chrysm cannons and had him in their sights. "Uh oh… Busted," he said as he tried to discern an escape route. Unfortunately, he realized he had back peddled too far and had nearly put his back into a corner. "Okay! I'm caught," Rei said sheepishly. "You got me. Yes, I was looking." The twins were on him at point blank range in an instant and put the barrels on his chest.

"Tazer rounds, Momo. We don't want to have to clean up a big man kitty splat," Hana said with venom in her voice. Momo nodded.

"We were on that boat for weeks! I was bored. I was getting cabin fever. I was going stir crazy." Rei figured his words weren't going to save him. Accepting his imminent high voltage fate, he let out a long, exasperated sigh, dropped his head, and fell to his knees.

Ryu and Nina looked on. Both of them were in a fit of giggles and trying with all their might to contain the laughter. "No help for the tiger?" Rei plead, looking at them as they giggled. "Doesn't this beat all… Go ahead and do it then. But come on, you Grassrunner chicks are hot! If it's any consolation, I happen to think you have a really nice set of hips."

That statement caused the girls to freeze in place. Slightly embarrassed and unable to hide the flush in her cheeks, Hana stammered as she spoke. "Y-y-you're just s-s-saying that. You're trying to cover your tracks and not g-get the shock treatment of y-your life."

Momo took over. "Yeah, you wouldn't say something like that for real. Especially after all that teasing you threw my way while we traveled together. 'Egg head, dork, four eyes, virgin, nerdy rabbit girl'… That stuff hurt, you know!"

Nina began to giggle even harder and Ryu, unable to keep it at bay any longer, let out a deep belly laugh. "Uh, Momo…" Nina began. "I don't think you quite get it."

"Yah, Mo", Ryu said as he wiped away a laughter induced tear. "Have you ever wondered why he always insisted on being directly behind you no matter what formation we were in?" He punctuated the question by tracing the outline of the hourglass figure in the air then pointing to his eyes.

Just as they were both about to pull the triggers, Honey's display changed. She switched to a conversation between Rei and Ryu at the Brood town, Dragneir.

"Hey little bro," Rei in the video said as Ryu walked just near him. "What do you think of the rabbit?"

"Momo?" Ryu in the video responded. "Man can she cook! The last night we were in the desert, she whipped up some crazy risotto made with cactus. Cactus! Who would have thought? Damn, that was good eats!"

"Not what I meant, brother…" Rei said after a small sigh. "Do you ever quit thinking with your stomach?"

"Not following you…"

"Come on, bro… You can't tell me you never thought of her other than being a good cook and really smart. I mean, behind those bifocals, she is kinda pretty, ya know." Rei said.

"Still lost…"

"You've never seen her out of that baggy outfit she's always in, have you?" Rei asked as frustration for his adoptive little brother's obliviousness showed itself as a throbbing vein in his forehead.

Ryu put a hand to his chin a thought a moment. "Now that you mention it, I haven't," he said.

"Well, I have and let me tell you, there is quite a nice little package under all that wrapping, if you get my meaning… One day, I wouldn't mind getting to know our little bunny behind all that brain too. And certainly doesn't hurt that she has some really mean curves and the cutest butt."

Honey cut the video feed at that.

Momo and Hana were both locked in a momentary stupor caused by embarrassment. Both of their faces were completely red and their long ears were twitching wildly.

* * *

**A/N ~ This little story essentially sets up a continuity for a couple of other stories I have in mind. Unless I say otherwise, any Breath of Fire story I release after this will take place in my "Mad Tinkering Peach" universe. One of them I have ideas for would star Momo's clone, Hana. I'll be writing them to be sisters rather than clone and original. I always thought clone stories where the clone tries to live up to, surpass, or take over the life of the original have become cliché. Mass Effect 3's last expansion drove the final nail into that coffin.**

**Hana, by the way, is Japanese for flower and Momo is peach. I came up with the idea for them as sisters because of my twin nieces. Their names are Peach and Blossom (my sister is kind of a hippy/flower child). They both need to wear glasses and at one point both had long pigtails. The difference though is that Blossom's hair is red and Peach's is platinum blonde.**

**Random tidbit - For Honey's voice, think of a higher pitched version of the FLUDD device from Mario Sunshine.**


	2. MTP Ch 2: Clone Shenanigans Pt1

MTP Chapter 2: Clone Shenanigans Story Arc - Part 1

Having been stunned into silence by what they had just learned, the twin rabbit girls simply stood there. Lost in thought, they stared blankly past the Woren infiltration specialist that had just been outed as a secret admirer.

"Momo?" said Princess Nina. "Hana? Are you guys alright?" The twins were almost as if they were in a catatonic state as they both peered into the beyond with a thousand yard stare.

Ryu stepped in between the girls and Rei. "Hello in there!" he said as he waved his arms in front of there faces. "Earth to creepy bunny statues!" To no avail. They were locked in a daze.

Suddenly, an alarm in the lab blared. A robotic voice came through the Tower's intercom system. "Attention. Anomaly detected in birthing chamber. System will attempt to correct. Stand by for result."

Instantly, Momo and Hana were snapped back to reality. "Stations!" they both cried out in unison. Quicker than a hiccup, Momo pointed her cannon to the lab floor and used the blast from it to propel herself back up to the catwalk and back to the station she had been working at before, while Hana ran back into the room next to the tube.

"Uh oh!" Momo yelled. "It looks like we made a miscalculation somewhere. My read out is saying that the part of the brain that governs personality developed slightly off."

"I'm getting that too," Hana replied. "Everything else is looking green but if we don't find a way to fix it, there is no telling how the mind will turn up." Just then, Hana's screen flashed red. "No! No, no, no! Now I'm getting a bad pressure reading and the correction function can't compensate. We either have to scrap the mission and start all over or drain the tank and birth the clone."

"It's too late to cut our losses. The clone is too far along in development not to birth it now," Momo called out. Drain the tank!"

"Roger!"

Hana initiated the emergency evacuation program for the clone birthing chamber. Ryu, Rei, and Nina stood there in confused awe of what was occurring. Though none of them could really grasp what was going on, they all knew that if the twins were worried about something, then it was worth being worried about.

Momo and Hana left their stations to see the results of their work. They all looked on as the thick blue liquid was slowly sucked through small pipes coming out of the sides of the bottom of the tank and leading into the floor. The mass inside took on a familiar humanoid form as the liquid came down past it.

The voice over the intercom sounded again. "Evacuation complete." When the liquid was done draining, a breathing apparatus was retracted from the figure's face and up into the top of the tank. The tank let off a loud hissing noise, depressurizing it, and the birthing tube rose up. The figure took its first unassisted breath. It then dropped to its knees and began to gasp, no doubt getting used to breathing on its own.

The group all inched closer as the clone continued to breathe its first breaths. After getting a better look, Ryu's face went completely white and Rei's fur stood on end. "No... way..." Rei muttered in pure disbelief. "How? How is it possible?"

When the clone stopped coughing, it looked up at Rei. It pulled aside violet streams of hair from its eyes and in a familiar voice, spoke its first word. "Brother?"

* * *

If this were a TV show, this is where a dramatic music sting would hit and a commercial break would drop.

* * *

Before them, taking his first breaths of life, sat a perfect clone of Rei and Ryu's adoptive brother that later became their enemy, Teepo. Eyes wide with disbelief, Teepo's gaze shot from Rei to Ryu then down to his own hands. "Wha... How..." he said as he felt his face. "How am I alive?" He frantically searched his mind to recall anything he could. "The last thing I remember was feeling cold, coughing up a mouthful of blood, and then I blacked out." Teepo looked back up. "Rei was seething next to me, pissed off at Myria, and Ryu's sword was in my heart." His glance moved over toward the girls. "This girl from the Wing clan was there. And this Grassrunner woman too. Well, one of them was."

When he finished, Momo spoke up. "Well Teepo, it may not make sense at first, but I can tell you that you did indeed die in Station Myria." What little color was there left Teepo's already fairly pale face.

Ryu moved toward his brother, took off his jacket, and draped it over Teepo's naked form. When we left your chamber in Eden, I couldn't bring myself to keep using the sword I had used to kill my own brother. I left it there and took up your Dragon Blade in your honor. I still have it." He pointed to the sheathed sword on his hip. A tear began to roll down Ryu's cheek. "I'm so sorry, brother! We had to end Myria. She was smothering this world."

Momo spoke up again. "It has been two years since that day. Six months ago, on my last visit to the wreckage of the station to salvage data and parts, I found Ryu's old Royal Sword still impaled in what was left of your deteriorated dragon whelp form carcass. After seeing how being forced to fight their own family affected Rei and Ryu, I made it my mission to perfect Myria's cloning technique so I could give them back their brother."

Hana chose then to chime in. "After she created me to test the application of the cloning process, we began work extracting and reconstructing a sample of Teepo's genetic material from the blade of Ryu's sword. Once we had a good enough strain of his dragon genome, we went about starting the process of replicating it."

Hearing Momo and Hana say that caused an internal explosion of emotion inside Rei. He had his other brother again. Their splintered family was back together and the rabbits were the ones responsible. Not only had Momo been a loyal friend and travel partner, she and her twin sister were proving to be strong sentimental anchors.

This time, a tear streamed down Teepo's face. "My brothers... My family... I'm whole again." The moment got to him and Teepo began to sob openly. "I lost you once before, you lost me twice, I want the third time to be the charm. I don't care about Myria or her ideals. I just want my family." Ryu and Rei closed in on their brother and a heartfelt group hug ensued. Hana, Momo, and Princess Nina looked on with a collective joy as the trouble makers from Cedar Wood enjoyed an emotional reunion.

After a few moments, Ryu stood and helped Teepo to his feet. Teepo wobbled a bit and struggled to maintain his balance. His new body was weak. "Dude, we've got to get you back to the tree house and into some clothes." Teepo suddenly became painfully aware of the fact that he was indeed bare butt naked, save for Ryu's jacket. He blushed a bit in embarrassment. given his close proximity to Princess Nina and the twins.

"Yes... Clothes," Teepo said. -AAAROOOOOAAAAAAAHHHHH- His stomach yelled at him, screaming for attention. "And fooooood," he added meekly.

"Oh yeah, that's right," Hana interjected. "When I first came out of the birthing chamber, I was starving and weak from it. You may want to have some food before you leave the Tower."

Momo put her hands on her hips and perked up her ears. "Okay. You boys go down to the kitchen on the second floor. I'll throw something together for us all before you take off. Hana and I were going to get some lunch when we finished up in here anyway."

A grin quickly populated Ryu's face. "Mo! Do you happen to have any of that cactus from the Desert of Death handy?"

Momo pushed her glasses back to her face and pinched the bridge if her nose. "Just get down there, you walking stomach!" she retorted. "Beggars can't be choosers when a free meal is involved."

Ryu and Nina assisted Teepo in taking his first steps then proceeded to help him down the stairs and toward the kitchen. Rei stayed behind. He stood there, frozen in place, with his back to the rest of his friends and the lab.

Honey, Hana, and Momo began to make their out of the lab also. Honey and Hana got out the door, but as Momo went to walk past Rei, he held out an arm, keeping her from passing him. "Momo..." he began in a very low tone. "Momo... I..." He couldn't find the words. He was tangled up inside. Here he was suddenly reunited with his lost brother and the person responsible had just found out that he had a thing for her. What could he say?

Momo took her cue. She grabbed him by the shoulders, spun him around to face her, and very much out of character for her, she threw her arms around his neck and planted a deep passionate kiss on Rei. Overcome with equal parts relief and emotion, Rei gently grabbed her at the waist and reciprocated the kiss. They stayed there like that just enjoying it for a few minutes.

Momo pulled back to take a breath and opened her eyes. She looked up into the Woren ninja's eyes and could plainly see genuine affection staring back at her. "There is nothing you can say right now that could convey what your heart is telling you," she said. "I know because I am going through the same thing and feel the same way." Momo pulled Rei in close and buried her head in his chest.

"Your brash, almost childish nature betrays your life's true intent. All the time we traveled the world together, I could see past the bratty man child on the outside and saw a man that wanted to make right the things that went wrong for his family in the past. But you always seemed to project nothing but the brat toward me, and it confused me. But seeing Honey's videos made it all clear to me."

She paused for a second. "Honey," Momo called. "Stop recording and erase the video file." Then, she turned her head down the hall.

Sure enough, the little Navigator was at the far end of the hall by the far entrance into the library recording every second of it. "Of course, Momo." She did as requested and headed down the stairs.

Rei smiled a little grin. "No evidence, huh? I think some of me might have rubbed off on you."

With a twinkle in her eye and her cheeks burning bright red, Momo looked back up at him. "Well, maybe some time we could arrange for a little more of you to rub off on me. That is, if such a thing meets with your approval."

"I certainly can't think of a reason why not," Rei replied as his smiled widened.

"I did almost taze you back there..." Momo said with a hint of shame in her voice.

Rei waved it off and chuckled. "Details." Then, he pulled Momo close, back into his chest and gave her an affectionate squeeze. "You gave me back my brother. That's a debt I will never be able to pay back. I'm yours until you say otherwise."

She nuzzled his chest and gave him a squeeze in return. "Well, I believe it would be a mutually beneficial pairing. Given that in your own words, I have 'mean curves and the cutest butt'."

"That you do, my brainy little bunny," he said, playfully placing a hand on the aforementioned butt. "That you do."

Hand in hand, the tan tiger and the red rabbit turned toward the stairs and made their way to the second floor where their friends would be waiting.

* * *

**A/N ~ A character resurrection and a romantic pairing all in the same chapter. That's good stuff right there.**

**I originally wasn't going to reveal the identity of the clone until the third or fourth chapter, but a suggestion in a PM made me change my mind. (See Kate, I told you I'd get it in there.) I pushed some of what was going to be in this chapter into the next one to have Teepo's return in this one.**

**By the way, I'm down for taking more suggestions. Just PM me with your idea, and I'll try to integrate it into the story.**


	3. MTP Ch 3: Clone Shenanigans Pt2

MTP Chapter 3: Clone Shenanigans story arc - Part 2

Pulling At The Heart Strings

Given the length of time it took for them to make it to the kitchen behind everyone and the fact that they were hand in hand when they did arrive, it didn't take much for their friends to deduce that Rei and Momo were officially a thing now.

And while she could certainly see that writing on the wall right away, it didn't stop Hana from pouting a little inside. She couldn't help but feel a little envious of her sister. Though in her mind, she could rationalize that since they were physically different, Rei would gravitate toward the one he was familiar with, the irrational thought processes of the heart were governing her at that moment. The entire concept escaped her as there was no scientific base to it for her to grasp hold of. However, she could understand that though she was a perfect copy of Momo, technically he and she had only just met. She did her best not to let it show that this was all bothering her.

Hana, who had replaced her usual scholar's mortarboard with a big floppy chef's hat, got work to make a big spread for lunch for her friends for two reasons. The first was because she remembered how absolutely famished she was when she first came out of the tube. The second was because she had guessed that since he was Brood like Ryu, Teepo could very well have the same voracious appetite that Ryu exhibited on a near constant basis. That coupled with that hunger from just being birthed likely meant she would have to put up a veritable smorgasbord for them to intake.

After a relatively short prep (she was being assisted by Honey and her magic, of course), Hana laid out a plentiful bounty upon the table. Teepo was quite literally drooling all over himself. Ryu looked like an anxious dog being held back by the choke chain. Hana took the ravenous looks in their eyes as a compliment. "Dig in, boys."

She essentially loosed the dragons from their chains. Ryu and Teepo wasted no time in absolutely demolishing everything that was already on the table. Momo and Rei were far too absorbed in each other's presence to care about the food. Nina could do nothing but look on in sheer awe. "Damn… I'm afraid I'd lose the hand if I tried to reach in there and get something for myself," she said nervously.

Hana sat down next to her with a few extra plates. "Don't worry Princess. I figured for this response in prepping the portions. Here are ours."

Looking at her plate with a smile, Nina said, "Wow, is there anything you can't do?"

Peering over at Momo sitting very close to Rei out of the corner of her eye, Hana sadly said under her breath, "There actually is something…"

Nina didn't catch what she said. "What was that, Hana?"

"Poppy seed dressing!" she blurted. "I forgot the poppy seed dressing. Be right back." Hana quickly jumped from her seat and went back toward the pantry to retrieve said dressing.

Nina noticed that momentary hint of underlying sadness on Hana's face just before she corrected herself. Her woman's intuition took that ball and ran with it. She knew right away that Hana was jealous, but she would pick her chance to try to hash it out with her. For now, she would eat and observe.

After nearly clearing out the Tower kitchen's pantry, Ryu and Teepo had finally had their fill. As Hana was clearing the table, Teepo approached her. "Hana, was it?" he inquired.

"Yes."

Teepo bowed respected and continued. "Thank you. Not only for the meal, but for a second chance at life and family."

"Uh, sure… Just doing what comes naturally, I guess." Hana was more than a little surprised. What she remembered of Momo's encounter with Teepo in his Eden chamber on Station Myria and what Ryu and Rei had mentioned of him while traveling painted him as more of an impetuous brat than Rei's man child side.

Then it hit her. Hana remembered that the reason they had to get him out of the tube early was because they were alerted to changes in his brain. This show of respect and his outburst of emotion earlier in the lab certainly ran counter to how he acted during their first meeting and how his brothers described him as a child. She wanted to keep him for observation, but she knew he would want to go home and be with his brothers.

"By the way," Hana said. "How are you feeling, Teepo? Do you notice anything difference about your new self that you don't remember about your old self? I know when I came out of the tank, I noticed immediately that I was different from Momo. I could tell I was right handed and Momo is a leftie. Something as simple as adjusting my glasses clued me in on that."

"Hmmm." Teepo thought on it for a moment. "Now that you mention it, my mind seems a bit different. I used to feel anger pent up and I always had a need to act out. I don't feel that anymore. I was quite the handful when I was a little boy."

"There is a reason for that. Your brain developed a bit differently than your original's," Hana explained. "I am willing to make a guess that it is because we had to reconstruct your DNA from the sample we collected off of Ryu's sword. Apparently, it has affected your natural tendency toward aggression."

A concerned looked found itself to Teepo face. "Is there something wrong with me?"

"I wouldn't worry too much about for now," she reassured him. "I'll try to keep a close watch over any changes that develop over time. But to do that, I'll need you to come to the Tower frequently. Maybe two or three times a week."

Teepo bowed again. "I will do whatever is necessary to make sure I don't squander this second chance I've been given."

"Hana!" Suddenly, Ryu had come from behind her and grabbed her up in a big crushing bear hug, surprising her. "There's no doubt you're every bit the same as Momo. Your cooking is freakin awesome! You might need to hit the market though. I think Teepo and I went a little overboard."

"Thanks Ryu," she said through a gasp. "Now could you put me down? I can't breathe."

"Oh, sorry. I forget my own strength sometimes." He put her down gently. "Hey, since your sister seems like she's going to be otherwise occupied for a good amount of her free time now, why don't you come out to the Wood some time? It will be Spring soon, and the forest will hit full bloom in no time."

"Well, you know, I just told Teepo that I would want to collect some data on him in his new body over time," Hana said. "I guess a few house calls wouldn't hurt."

"Outstanding! Besides, I think a little fishing, a few excursions in the woods, and some time with a friend away from all this might do you some good. 'All work and no play', right?" Ryu said with a friendly grin.

Hana smiled back. "I guess you're right."

"Alright, later then," Ryu said as he turned and waved. "Hey, tiger!" he called over to Rei, who wasn't really paying attention. "We're going to take off toward the Wood." He and Teepo made their way back to the old tree house in Cedar Wood that he and Rei had rebuilt.

Something about Ryu's grin just then and his always friendly personality sparked something in Hana. She wasn't quite sure what it was, but she seemed to be noticing him in a different light all of a sudden.

Her revelation must have shown on her face, because it didn't go unnoticed to Princess Nina's watchful eye. After lunch was cleared from the table and the dishes dealt with, Nina approached Hana with the intent to talk to her about her feelings. Rei and Momo had left to take a walk together around the Tower grounds and Honey was in the lab cleaning up. It would be an uninterrupted heart to heart.

"Hana…"

"Oh, what is it Princess? I didn't know you were still here."

"Hana, can I talk to you?" she said. "I've taken notice of a few things and I wanted to see where you stand with regard to them."

She and Hana sat back at the table across from each other. "What's on your mind, Princess?"

"Well, this isn't going to be easy," Nina started. "Everything I say is going to come off as me being a snoop and trying to butt in on others' business, but I can't just sit by and let this kind of thing go without at least saying something about it." Hana lifted an eye brow. She wasn't sure where Nina was coming from or where she was going.

Nina continued. "First off, I noticed almost immediately that Momo and Rei being together got to you."

Hana couldn't stop the reaction. Her face frowned on its own and she looked down at the table. "Oh… You saw that, huh?"

Nina nodded and took her hand. "Talk to me, Hana… I want to help."

Hana's face felt hot and she blushed ferociously. "Well, Momo was always kind of a lonely person. It was part her own doing for always being cooped up with her work and part because her intellect made it so she just didn't fit in anywhere. Remember back when you and Ryu came to the Tower the first time? She didn't hesitate to go with you even though you guys were on the run from Balio and Sunder's syndicate goons."

Nina thought back to those days. In hindsight, she realized Hana was right. Momo was right there with them through so much and even after spending years apart following the Angel Tower incident, she went with them again. Nina was realizing that Momo was so fiercely loyal because she had never really had friends.

Hana went on. "Truth be told, Princess, part of the reason she created me, other than to gain proof of concept for the cloning process was so that she could have someone to talk to while she worked. I know she would never admit it if she was ever asked, but I have her memories, so I know it's true."

Nina was gaining valuable insight on her friend's deepest inner workings. She continued to listen intently.

"The entire time she traveled alongside you guys, she had always had a crush on Rei," Hana said bluntly. "Not even I can explain it, but something about his personality beyond his immature behavior always caught her interest. Being her perfect copy, I inherited that. And I can say with relative certainty that with us bringing his brother back and finding out he had something in his heart for her, she likely acted on it after all this time while they were upstairs alone."

That little light went on above Nina's head. "And that leaves you, as an external extension now, out in the cold and suddenly lonely."

A single tear formed of shame and acceptance of the truth escaped and rolled down Hana's cheek.

Nina gave Hana's hand a reassuring squeeze. "So then, I'm guessing all that is why you looked at Ryu the way you did just as he and Teepo left, yes?"

Hana blushed bright again and looked back down at the table. "You saw that too?"

Nina cracked a small smile. "I'm very observant. Well, why didn't you say anything to him about it? You know, play it up a bit. Flirt a little maybe. You already own the key to his heart. Feed him."

Hana was far gone beyond blushing at that point. Her whole face may as well have been a lantern. "Oh, Princess, you know that's not in my nature."

"Says who? You're a clone, Hana. What rule says you have continue being exactly like your sister? You can be your own person now. Change the way you carry yourself, how you dress, or how you act around people. It might be a way to get Ryu's attention."

"But Princess…" Hana couldn't look Nina in the face, knowing what she was about to say. "I thought you and Ryu were… you know."

It was Nina's turn to blush. "Don't get me wrong, Hana. I love Ryu with every fiber of my being. I've laid awake many a night, longing to be able to give myself to him. I've woken up many mornings wishing he were there at my side. I truly want to be with him." The shameful, truth accepting tear streamed down Nina's face this time. "But because I am of the royal family, I have an obligation to marry within the Wing Clan. The power of the Winlan royal family line to protect the people of Windia was weakened once long ago by a princess who became queen, married outside the Clan, and bore children. It took many generations for things to get back to normal. Since then, we are bound by royal decree not to stray. And because of it, I've never pursued him any further than being one of his best friends."

Hana gave Nina's hand the reassuring squeeze. "Princess, that's horrible…"

Nina shook her head. "It may be, but I have a duty to my family and my people. What's one person's feelings weighed against a country and a race?" More tears began falling from Nina's normally bright and cheery eyes. "It is because I love him so much that I want to see him happy. If you care for him in the very slightest, go after him. Make him happy. Be happy yourself."

Nina looked back up and made direct eye contact. "And most importantly, be your own person. You are not 'Momo's perfect copy'. You are 'Hana'." She leaned forward over the table and gave Hana a hug and a kiss on the cheek, then she left the Tower.

"Be my own person…"

* * *

**A/N ~ Breath of Fire 1 and 2 reference. What's up! {self high five} Nina in 1 got together with her Ryu, resulting in the weakening of her line. Nina from 2 learns of this when she goes to retrieve the power of the Great Bird.**

**The way I wrote Ryu and Teepo at lunch I essentially envisioned them and the Brood to be like the Saiyan race from Dragon Ball. Ryu and Goku kind of parallel each other. They are both immensely powerful, but are teddy bears when there is no danger. Because of that, I matched Ryu's appetite to Goku's. I'm also writing Ryu to be a total goof ball. Since he doesn't ever talk in the game, It sort of leaves a lot of his personality up for interpretation. **


	4. MTP Ch 4: The Tan Tiger and Red Rabbit

MTP Chapter 4: The Tan Tiger and the Red Rabbit

Rei and Momo had left the Tower and were taking a nice leisurely walk around the grounds. They didn't have any particular destination in mind. They were simply enjoying each other's company.

Just a short while earlier, they had mutually come to terms with the fact that they both had a crush on the other. However, now it was so much deeper. Rei was touched to his very soul when he found out that Momo went far above and beyond her call of duty as a scientist and as a friend when she went out of her way to ensure Rei could have his long lost little brother back.

Nearly as quickly as it took for her to explain her actions, Rei's feeling's had morphed dramatically. No longer was it just that he was wanting to get closer to her because he thought she was cute. Now, he was in love. Other than Ryu, he had never encountered anyone who would go so far to do something for a friend. He loved Ryu with all his heart, just as a brother should. Now, he loved Momo with all his heart because she was the catalyst that made his family's fire burn again.

On the other side of the coin sat Momo. She had spent the entirety of her life immersed in her passion for science. She never really took the time to even consider herself being in a relationship. However, once she had met Rei, long untouched thoughts began to take root in her mind. When they first started to travel together years ago, Momo was taken with Rei. She developed a crush on him based on how strong his conviction was to make things right and find the truth behind Myria. Oddly enough, she also seemed to actually like the way their personalities would always clash. She would never admit that, though.

It was the textbook definition of the concept of "opposites attract". She was bookish, introverted, and quiet, with the occasional streak of ego that liked to manifest itself. He was loud, outgoing, humble, and sometimes, folks tended to think he wasn't very smart, though that was really not the case. He was actually very intelligent with regard to life and survival. He was one of the the best hunters and trackers alive in his age, attributed of course to his Woren heritage. He was certainly the best in the kingdom of Windia.

As they had wandered from the grounds of the Tower toward the café high up on the hill down the road, they both agreed to go there and sit down to some lunch since they had missed out earlier. They sat at one of the tables outside and ordered. While they waited, began to talk about their experiences through their own eyes as they traveled the world together.

The more they talked, the more they were beginning to enjoy each other. Always a positive sign at the start of a relationship. They traded playful barbs, calling each other man kitty and nerdy rabbit. They gave their respective opinions of the current state of the world at large. They spoke of family. And eventually, the conversation naturally steered toward heritage.

"Within the Woren, there are classes. I'm a pure blood Tigren class Woren. There aren't many of us left. That's why I'm probably the only Woren you've ever heard of that can use the Weretiger transformation," Rei explained.

Momo, ever the studious scholar, was taking it all in. "Okay, I see. Your pure Tigren background allows for the transformation. So the 'classes' in the Woren are basically like subspecies. That is fascinating."

Rei continued. "Yes. Mind you, we understand that we can't control our birth and what traits we come out with, so the Woren don't treat classes like a social division. Each class has distinct characteristics that set us apart. Tigrens are naturally smaller, the swiftest, we have these bad ass stripes, and we can transform."

"I would imagine being smaller and less physically inclined also means you are more susceptible to hunger and disease," Momo interjected.

"Yup, Guilty as charged. Leonars are the strongest and typically the largest of us and they tend to be taller, more well built, and their hair is leaps and bounds more awesome. Alot of folks don't like it to be said out loud, but Leonars are also the, ugh..." Rei paused searching for the proper term.

"The least intellectually gifted?" Momo said somewhat sheepishly, hoping her statement would not be conceived as an insult to Rei's brethren.

"Bingo! You picked that up pretty quick. And then there are Pumeros. They undoubtedly make the best hunters. They tend to be middle of the road average physically, but have far more acute senses than the rest of us."

"There is actually someone with better senses than you? That's saying a lot," Momo said as she pushed her glasses from the bridge of her nose all the way to her face.

The compliment put a grin on Rei's face. "You can always spot a pure Pumero right away because they are always one solid color. Usually tan or brown."

Momo was in sponge mode, soaking up every single tidbit of information. She was verily enjoying being with Rei right then. Not only was she learning more about the man she came to love, but about his culture and race. "So you said only pure blood Tigren can transform, and the Tigren class is waning?"

"Yeah. A few centuries back, the classes were separated as different tribes. There were nasty territorial wars over rights to close or intersecting hunting grounds among the tribes. And the Tigren, being physically weaker than the other classes, took the brunt of the losses when tactics switched from open combat in the field to attrition. Tribal honor would not allow them to transform to fight fellow Woren, even during time of war. We were never really able to get back to our old numbers."

Momo was wishing she had something to record all this on. Rei was dumping informational nuggets of gold all over the place.

"Eventually, when the wars died down, the clans came together in peace. As a show of solidarity, there were a lot of marriages between the classes. These days, the majority of the Woren are hybrids."

Momo's eyes widened. "Really?" she said with a hint of disbelief. "In all the other races, the Brood, the Highlanders, Iron Ox, Grassrunner, etc, cross breeding more often than not results in the child taking on the traits of the opposite sex parent. Hybridization only occurs at a birth rate of about 2%, possibly lower. I myself am half Grassrunner and Half human."

"Cutest half breed I ever saw. Looks like you got some of the best parts of human and Grassrunner. Hey, did your mother have those great childbearing hips too?" That comment elicited a quick flash of red in Momo's cheeks and he received playful punch to the arm in return. The gears in Rei's head started to turn. With a smile he said, "So, if we decided to pop out a litter, any girls would most likely be kittens and the boys would come out to be bunny kit human cub hybrids, huh? Or would it be more complicated than that?"

Momo's whole face blushed fiercely, to the point that it was nearly the same color as her hair. Her heart raced and she felt an unfamiliar (but certainly not unwelcome) warmth in her pants. "Well, um… That is… uh… You see there's…"

Rei laughed heartily aloud. "Relax, Red. We're both still young. Plenty of time later down the road on to think about that kind of thing." He got up from his seat across from Momo and sat down in the seat next to her. He took her hand and pulled her in real close. "For now, let's enjoy some carefree youth together."

Momo let herself sink into his embrace. She then realized that now that they were an item, they were getting along much better. And though she was completely new to the concept of being one with someone, she liked it. She wanted more of it. She wanted to make it last. She wanted to be with her man kitty until they both no longer drew breath.

* * *

**A/N ~ Fluff! Yay! I certainly can't say I'm a fan of fluff myself, but I felt like I had to give at least a little insight on my view of their pairing. Also, I got to put out my personal idea of how I view the Woren.**


	5. MTP Ch 5: Be my own person

MTP Chapter 5: "Be my own person"

With her friends gone now and nothing needing her immediate attention, Hana had plenty of time alone in the Tower to think. Her mind raced with what Princess Nina had left her with.

"_**If you care for him in the very slightest, go after him."**_

"_**Be your own person."**_

"_**You are not Momo's perfect copy. You are 'Hana'."**_

Her thoughts shifted momentarily to her sister and the tiger. She began thinking of how they were so different, worlds apart with regard to personality, but were so close now. Then, she thought of how she wanted what they have. Just as Momo did before her, now Hana was starting to think more on the concept of being with someone. And as luck or fate would have it, the near perfect candidate was already in her life.

Hana resolved to find some common ground in order to better suit herself for pursuing Ryu. It didn't take long for her to think up some of the things he enjoyed. He loved his friends, his family, eating, and fishing. Fishing. Fish. The study of fish. Ichthyology!

She made her way up the Tower and into the library. "Hmm. Let's see here. 'InBetweeners: The Motorboaters' Memoirs', 'I Like Big Butts and I cannot Lie: A Semi-Risque Autobiography of Knight Leftenant Sir Mixalot', 'InBetweeners volume 2: The Motor Boat to English Dictionary', 'It's too Big: The tragic tale of Long Johnson Silver's Wife', 'InBetweeners volume 3: Rise of the MotorButt'. Wow… Dad had a lot of kinky stuff in here. Ah! Here we go. 'Ichthyology: A Scientist's Field Guide to a fun day at the lake'."

Since she had agreed to go fishing with him some time, Hana made a point to study up on local kinds of fish. What species are in particular locations around Windia, what the different varieties eat for matching up potential types of bait, and behavioral patterns and mannerisms for gauging temperament and how they would respond to a lure.

Now that she had a baseline to work with, she thought about what else Princess Nina had said. She had mentioned that in an effort to be someone different from Momo and to stand out and catch Ryu's eye, she could try changing her style of dress or her mannerisms around other people. As her mind was apt to do, Hana began to think of some type of scientific root for her to grab hold of in order to better understand it as she went about the process.

She got to thinking of the peacock and about how the male, who would be the one actively pursuing, would display its plumage and behave differently to stand out to a potential mate. While it seemed a bit strange to be comparing herself to the male of a species, Hana understood the connotation of the thought.

Before she realized it, four hours had passed. She had spent the entire time studying up on Windia's local fish and contemplating how to go about attempting to pursue Ryu. Four hours had come and gone, and her sister and her new kitty had not returned. "Well, Honey, I guess I'll make a trip to the market. Let Momo know when she gets back, okay?"

"Of course, Hana."

With that, Hana made for the bazaar just outside the main city's walls. It was a new concept the king was trying out called a strip mall. She had to replenish the Tower's pantry after feeding two hungry dragons and she would take the opportunity to get some new clothes. A few fresh outfits to set her apart from her sister seemed like a step in the right direction toward heeding Princess Nina's advice.

After ordering what she needed to restock their food and having a delivery to the Tower for it set up, Hana visited a new boutique that had just recently opened. The girl behind the counter that greeted her was a young and pretty brunette Wing Clan maiden. She was a lithe little thing, as many Wing Clan women are, and had freckles strewn about her nose. Her immature wings fluttered at the sight of a new face. "Korie" was etched into her name plate.

"Hello, miss," the perky girl said. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

Hana smiled at the greeting. "Uh, yes actually. I'm looking to put together a few new outfits."

"Okay. Did you have any particular type or style in mind?"

Hana felt the red hit her face. "Well… It's kind of like this… See, I have a sister. A twin sister. We are identical, down to the smallest detail. We have identical taste for style of clothes too. I want to do something to help differentiate us more…" She trailed off a bit. She was embarrassed to continue on with the real reason, but she knew she would have to get this done right. "And… There's this guy I know…"

Korie cracked a big smile. "Say no more, miss. You want to set yourself apart from your sister and at the same time get your guy friend to notice you. Too easy. Let's go over to the fitting area where the mirrors are, and we can get started." Korie led Hana to the fitting area where three full body mirrors were set up at angles so a person could see a great deal of themselves. "Do you happen to know your measurements, miss? If not, I can just take them here and now" Korie said as she reached for the measuring tape.

"Uh… Hmm…" Hana had to think a bit. This wasn't something that was on her mind often, so it was knowledge that was crammed in the back of her mind somewhere that needed to be dug up. "It's been awhile. I think something like 38-24-40."

"Wow…" Korie commented. "I definitely wouldn't have guessed that with what you have on. Your clothes are hiding you very well."

Hana got a little nervous when she heard that. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" she asked sheepishly.

With another big smile, Korie responded. "Oh trust me, miss. With a figure like that, I'm pretty sure the right outfit will have any guy bending over backwards to even be anywhere near you." Hana internally breathed a sigh of relief. Korie's words were a good boon for her confidence.

They got started going over different pieces and trying to mix and match what they thought would work best for Hana. "If you don't mind me asking miss, do you happen to know anything about what kind of tastes this guy friend of yours has?"

Hana didn't really know how to respond to that. Considering she had only just decided to even try to go after Ryu, she certainly never contemplated what he would look for in a woman. "Um… Not really. But his brother is dating my sister, and he has taken a liking to her… How did he put it? 'Mean curves'."

Korie thought on it for a moment. "Well then, I think maybe we should try to stick to brighter colors. Dark colors have a tendency to mask curves, and since his brother is into curvy women, he very well may be also. Do you know what his favorite color is?"

Hana was able to answer that without hesitation. "He has always had a thing for light blue."

"Perfect. Also, I would suggest something that accentuates your curves and calls attention to your bust." Korie handed Hana a cute little blue top with a cleavage window. "This should do nicely."

Hana, while a bit apprehensive, pushed the meekness of her normal demeanor aside. She took the shirt and regarded its detail. "Hey, this blue is the same color as his hair!"

Korie smiled. "Oh? Great then! That should work wonders to catch a hold of his eyes."

Hana tried the top on and gave herself the once over in the mirror. "Whoa… I never really realized they were THAT big," she said, referencing her large breasts.

"See?" Korie said. "What did I tell you? The 'window' on that shirt coupled with the bright color of it drew your eyes straight to it."

Hana was suddenly beaming with a new confidence. Something as simple as a new shirt was all it took for her to start seeing herself differently. "I like it! What else do you have that would go good with this?"

"Bottoms… Hmm… Would you prefer pants, shorts, a skirt, a long dress?"

"I think I'll defer to your judgment on that one. I work in a lab all the time, so my sense of fashion is a bit… non-existent," Hana replied sheepishly.

Korie thought on it a second. "Well, since you have a big top, thin middle, and big bottom, let's try a few variations to see which works best." She went to a rack and grabbed a pair of long pants and a pleated skirt that were both bright red. She also got another shirt that was the same color blue, but was cut at the midriff and didn't have the cleavage window, as well as a third that was long sleeve. Korie and Hana spent quite a bit of time going over the options.

As Hana played with the configurations of her outfit, she began to think of the changing of the season that would happen soon. The skirt would definitely work. And it would be something to fuel Ryu's imagination if Princess Nina's plan worked. When it was all said and done, Hana wound up walking out of the store with three new outfits, and wearing a fourth. She left in a sky blue short sleeve shirt with a cleavage window and bright red velour pants. Not only was the set up very comfortable, but she and Korie both felt that it looked good on her, given her natural proportions, and that gave her a huge hike in self esteem.

By the time she went to leave, it had long since gotten dark. Hana wasn't particularly keen on having to travel back to the Tower alone after dark, but she didn't exactly have a choice. "Oh damn it! Now I really wish those files Honey downloaded on building new Portal Drives weren't corrupted." She made a conscious effort to stick to the road all the way back.

About half the distance between the Tower and Windia's bazaar area, Hana began to feel uneasy. As she walked, she could almost swear she felt eyes following her every movement. Sure enough, when Hana peered over her shoulder, she caught a glimpse of something or someone creeping along the shadows. Now getting nervous, Hana picked up her pace. She heard a rustling off to the side of the road, and that made her pick it up even more. When she heard the sound of a voice not far behind her, she took off in a full sprint.

After sprinting a good way down the road, Hana stopped to catch her breath. She looked behind her to see if whatever was following her was still there. She saw nothing, but paranoia still gripped her hard. She summoned her chrysm cannon and turned a circle in place, sweeping the area. Still not seeing anything, she continued down the road, cannon in one hand, shopping bag in the other.

Hana caught another hint of rustling off to the side of the road. She quickly changed out her ammo from tazer rounds to a high illumination parachute round and fired it straight above her. The lum round descended slowly and burned very brightly, lighting up the entire area. Unfortunately, it also uncovered what was following her. In a tree to southwest side of the road, was a scruffy looking Highlander thug. Not far from him on the ground was a Human thug in all black.

The Human stalker, undeterred by their loss of concealment, directly approached Hana. "Well whatta we 'ave 'ere? You look all lonely and what not, bunny girl. How's about me and mah buddy ova 'ere keep you an' nem big ol' melons o' yours company awhile?"

Hana felt an odd sensation of confliction. On one hand, she was scared out of her mind and trembling with terror. On the other, this guy, creepy as he was, just told her in a backhanded way that he liked her look. Fear of course won out and she turned to run. Mid-stride in her sprint, she tried to reload the tazer shell into her cannon, but dropped the round and tripped on it. Before she knew it, the Highlander had dashed behind her and jumped onto her back, pinning her to the ground.

* * *

**A/N ~ Not a cliffhanger, I promise. The next chapter will be up within 10mins. Pinky swear! You have to love the call back to Repsol's library. In case that one went by you, in the game, if you check the bookshelves in the Tower library, you'll get a message saying things like "Adults only", "Mature content", and "Not intended for sale to minors" and such. Hilarious!**


	6. MTP Ch 6: The Rescue

MTP Chapter 6: The Rescue

"Oh my!" the lanky monkey man said. "That's quite the cushion yer packin' in there, sweetheart," he said, referencing her plenteous rear. "Dude, this chick has copious quantities of boob AND bum. That is the dog's bollocks!"

Hana was shaking uncontrollably out of pure terror of what was about to occur. Still a virgin, she had never put a lot of thought into sex. And until just today with her thoughts of Rei and Ryu, she hadn't even considered what her first time would be like. She certainly didn't like the prospect it to be stolen from her by some random hooligan.

"No, please, no, please, no," she chanted over and over as she continued to tremble. Then she heard the telling sound of a zipper being undone. That one little sound made her absolutely lose it. Hana screamed louder than she ever had before. A high pitched squeal that hurt even her own ears.

CRASH!

The ground shook and a huge plume of dust floated through the area. The impact of whatever it was sent debris all over. A chunk of a log had flown through the air and smashed into the Human thug's face, knocking him senseless for a moment and giving him a nosebleed. When he regained himself, he got up and went to investigate.

"Hold 'er down a minute, boyo. I'll go check it out." The thug zipped his pants back up and walked cautiously toward the dust cloud. As he got a bit closer, a gentle breeze blew through and wafted away some of the dust. Before he could make out what was behind it all, he suddenly found a clawed hand gripping his throat! The thug was lifted off his feet by the shrouded entity.

Then, a bestial voice filled the air. "_No one messes with my friends and lives! NO ONE!_"

CRUNCH!

The hand squeezed down around the thug's neck, completely crushing his windpipe and snapping his neck. Hana looked up just as the dust had blown completely away. Standing there, dead brigand in hand, was Ryu in his Myrmidion golden Warrior dragon form.

Ryu threw the carcass of the would-be rapist aside and turned his attention toward the simian assailant. The Highlander looked upon the dead body of his partner with a mere smirk. "Well, crap. I can't say I liked the guy, but I guess it's not cool that he's done for. Sucks to be him, I guess. Glad it ain't me!" He stood and drew a pair of knives from behind his back. As soon as his weight was off her, Hana scampered off to the side of the road and hid behind a tree.

The Highlander slowly side stepped around Ryu, trying to gauge his next move. Ryu didn't even bother to follow him with his eyes. When he realized he wasn't being watched, the thug chucked both of his daggers full force at Ryu. Quicker than a bolt of lightning, Ryu swept one of his wings outward, slapping both incoming knives aside. They both flew with the force of a gale wind and were implanted into a fence post nearby. The simian assassin produced a bevy of other throwing instruments and began winging them all toward the Warrior dragon.

"_Kunai,_ _Shuriken. Ka-Bar. Shuriken. Gurkha. Kunai. A SOG Seal Pup? I'm keeping this one,"_ Ryu said aloud as he caught each individual weapon that came his way. The Highlander ran out of items to toss, and when he saw that Ryu had each and every one of them in his hands, he started to get scared.

"Ooooookay. So you're pretty good at this game," the simian assassin said in a shaky, but still sarcastic tone. "Well, the monkey man says, 'Exit stage left'! Deuces!" The Highlander turned tail and began running as quickly as his feet would carry him.

Unfortunately for him, Ryu's Myrmidion form was faster. Much faster. Ryu dropped all the throwing weapons but one. That one he had thrown toward the escaping hood. It managed to catch his jacket and pin him to a tree, where Ryu was already waiting.

In that beastly voice Ryu said, _"Okay dummy. Here's how it's gonna to happen. I'm going to pull this knife off your coat and count to thirty. If you're out of my sight by then, you live. If not… Eh, well let's just say the currs and coyotes that prowl this road won't go hungry tonight."_

Ryu pulled the knife out of the tree bark. _"One." _The Highlander thug took off immediately. _"Two." _He tripped a bit on piece of a fallen branch. _"Three." _Then he made a mistake. He looked over his shoulder… _"Thirty!"_

Before he could even turn his head back, the monkey man was shanked through the eye socket with his own knife. His body slumped to the ground in a heap. Ryu chuckled a bit. _"Heheh. Maybe that was a little excessive. But damn it if it wasn't funny And hey, I got a new knife out of it." _In a quick flash of light, he powered down to his regular self. In his normal voice, he spoke aloud to himself, "Now where did that bunny run off to…"

Ryu went to turn around to look for Hana, but before he made it all the way around, he was pounced.

"OH MY GOD! RYU! THANK YOU SO MUCH! I WAS SOOO SCARED!" Hana jumped on Ryu, wrapped her legs around his torso, and hugged his face against herself with a death grip rivaling that of a large python.

Ryu just kind of stood there, a little stunned. Then, he realized his situation. When Hana pounced him, she inadvertently mashed his face right into the cleavage window of her new shirt.

"Mmmmrphommmrgmmmmuuur. Mmmmfugmpwmmr, mmmrwfuuugp. Mmmphgrfthomfuuger!"

**{For the benefit of those in the audience who do not speak Motor Boat, your author, Intercontinental, has graciously decided to include a translation for easier consumption of this portion of the story.}**

{"Holy crap! Hana, these are some freakin awesome knockers! I never knew they were this damn big. Have I died and gone to Heaven? Please don't move from this position, like EVER!"}

Hana, seeing what she had just done, pushed Ryu away a bit, thinking he needed a breath of air. "Oh, Ryu! I'm sorry. You couldn't breathe?"

Ryu had an almost dumbfounded look on his face with a huge ear to ear grin. "Duuuuuuuude! That. Was. SWEEEEEET!"

Confused for a second, Hana looked at him with slight concern. Then it dawned on her that she had just rammed his face into her breasts. She almost blushed, but the sensation went away when it hit her that this was exactly the reaction she was going for. **_Mission Accomplished! _**she said to herself.

Suddenly curiosity got the better of her. "Ryu, I am infinitely grateful for the rescue, but what are doing way out here at night?"

Ryu snapped back into reality from his momentary boobie daydream. "Oh, right. Teepo and I decided to go fishing in the morning, but I dropped the pouch I keep my lures in somewhere. Probably at the Tower. I was flying back there in Warrior form to find it when I saw this gnarly flash of light. Then I heard a scream and saw some guy with his junk in his hand creeping toward a monkey dude holding you down. When I realized it was you, something in me just kinda... I don't know... snapped."

Hearing him describe his arrival made the whole situation replay in Hana's mind. It made her shudder to think of what would have happened had Ryu not come along. A tear threatened her eye…

Without warning, Hana threw herself at Ryu again, this time burying her head in his chest. "Ryu… You have no idea how much this means to me!" she said through whimpers, emotion erupting, tears flowing, and body shaking.

Stunned, Ryu looked down at her. He put his arms around her to try to comfort her. "Uh, yeah. Not a problem. That's what friends are for, right?"

Suddenly, Hana stopped crying. She stopped whimpering. She stopped shaking. "Wrong," she uttered. Hana looked up at Ryu, dead in the eye. "Not just just friends…"

In an out of character moment that nearly mirrored her sister's from earlier in the day, Hana threw her arms around Ryu's neck and sucker punched him with the deepest, most passionate kiss she could muster. Before he could return the kiss, and before he could even react to his current situation, Hana pulled back from it and yanked his head by the back his neck, ramming his face into her breasts again.

"Damn it, this is so awesome…" Ryu muttered in 'Motor Boat'. Hana let him go after a moment of such a close embrace. He stood up straight with that dumbfounded look on his face again and said one word; "Hooters…"

Realizing how impetuous that whole string of actions was, Hana took a step back and blushed a bit. "Um… So… You like?" she asked sheepishly, motioning toward her new outfit.

"Oh yeah."

"Thank you…" She couldn't make eye contact for some reason. "So, uh, Ryu… I was thinking…" Hana continuously stumbled over her words. She knew what she wanted to say, but she had no idea how to say it. Then, she remembered Princess Nina's words. **_Change the way you carry yourself, how you dress, or how you act around people._**

Then, Hana threw caution to the wind. She decided right then and there not to be Momo's perfect copy, but to be Hana. "So, Ryu, since Rei and Momo and probably going to be doing all kinds of dirty nasty filthy stuff together, why don't you and me hook up for a little of the same? There'll be more cleavage window in it for you." She punctuated the end of her statement by sucking it in and sticking them out.

Ryu, still with the dumbfounded look, was having a hard time processing it all. His mind was degenerating to a more primal form. "Dude… Boobs…"

"They can be your boobs if you want 'em!" she said. Then she grabbed him by the back of head and brought him down to her chest again. Only this time with his head to turned the side so he didn't have to respond in 'Motor Boat'. "One condition though. You want them, their owner wants you."

Ryu finally came to his senses. "Hana…", he said in a low tone. "What are you saying?"

Hana stroked the back of his head gently, essentially caressing him. "It's easy. I'm saying I want you. I want to be your girl. Your bunny. Your one and only. I want to be with you…" She let go of his head then buried her head in his chest. In a low, almost pleading tone that betrayed her last few actions, she said, "Do you want to be with me?"

"Hana, I, um..."

She cut him off sternly. "I don't like to deal with approximates. I want it cut and dry. Black and white. So, yes or no, Big Blue?"

Ryu looked down at Hana and looked her in the eye. Then, without speaking a response, he planted a passionate kiss of his own on her. Utterly enraptured, Hana put all her heart into returning the kiss.

* * *

**A/N ~ Rei is an ass man and Ryu's REALLY into hooters (pun fully intended). Damn, I made them sound like my boyfriend and his brother.**


	7. MTP Ch 7: White Bunny and Blue Dragon

Chapter 7: The White Bunny and the Blue Dragon

**~Be advised: This chapter **(and possibly all others that follow) **will get pretty dirty. And when I say that, I don't mean "50 Shades" dirty, but you have been warned. And just to be safe, I raised the content rating.~**

* * *

Ryu and Hana made their way back to the Tower without further incident. To make sure of it, Ryu had transformed and flew them the rest of the way. When they arrived, Ryu was elated to see his pouch of lures and tackle right near the main door. Before he could do or say anything about it, he was pounced.

Hana, now fully accepting her place as an individual person and Momo's sister rather than her copy, threw herself at her savior. She figured that to further distance her personality from her sister, she would just play life by ear as it came to her. Fewer meticulously planned out actions and more living life on a whim.

Her first whim was to take _**her**_ dragon and make herself his. The events awhile earlier had led to her understanding that Ryu was most certainly a fan of her chest, and she wholly intended to take advantage of that. She pounced him much the same way she had before, with his face firmly planted between her breasts. In Motor Boat, Ryu uttered, "Sooooo… Awesome."

Still clinging to him and with his face still there, Hana spoke to Ryu. "Okay, Big Blue. Check this out. I'm going to talk. And you're going to listen. Nod if you agree, shake if you disagree. Understood?"

Face entrenched in cleavage, Ryu nodded.

"Good. First question then. This will be an easy one. Am I to understand that you like my breasts?"

Ryu nodded.

"Good boy!" Hana said with a smile as she caressed the back of his head, pushing his face in deeper. "Second question. Am I also to understand that when you noticed it was me that was in trouble, your response was more violent than you had originally intended?"

Again, Ryu nodded.

"So loyal…" she said in a low tone. She felt a tear threaten her eye. Even before they had officially accepted each other as they are now, he responded so fervently to save her from such a horrid and despicable fate, and that meant a lot to Hana. "Handsome, brave, strong, and so loyal."

Ryu suddenly shook his head. Hana was a bit confused. "I just complimented you. What are you disagreeing with?"

Ryu pulled his head back. "I wasn't disagreeing with anything. I was just enjoying myself," he said with a big grin. He then proceeded to re-bury his face right where it was and shook his head again, this time accompanied by the classic Motor Boat sound.

With a grin of her own, Hana caressed the back of his head again and said, "You're such a goof ball, Blue. I guess that's a big part of why I love you."

She felt Ryu gasp into her cleavage at her statement. He pulled back again and stared her straight in the eye. "Hana… You…"

She realized then what she had let slip. Deep inside, the evening's events had definitely had a quick effect on her emotions and her already budding feelings for Ryu. Not one to second guess herself, Hana realized that she subconsciously disabled the mental filter between her brain and her mouth and she let her heart do the talking. As it wasn't a common thing for Momo to do, Hana decided that she would let that kind of thing happen more often.

She didn't let Ryu's reaction faze her in the slightest. Instead, she simply grabbed his head and shoved his face back into her mounds.

"Duuuude…"

"That's right," she began. "I said it. And I meant it." She let him go for a second to breathe. Of course, Ryu had that awestruck look on his face that had now become the standard when his face was… "introduced" to the space between her breasts. A few seconds later when the stupor wore off, their eyes met.

Ryu peered into Hana's big, orange hued eyes and saw something he wasn't quite familiar with. In them, he saw pure, unabashed, unquestionable love. He took a slight breath to speak, but before the words could exit, he found his mouth full of a foreign invading tongue.

Hana hungrily kissed Ryu, almost like she was attempting to devour his face. There was so much fire, such a passion behind that kiss. As she was straddling him vertically from the pounce when they first arrived, she got down to the floor without breaking the kiss. When she had both feet planted, and still without breaking contact, she pushed Ryu up against the closest wall of the Tower and continued her assault. She also took the liberty at that moment to to run her hands up and down his chest and abs under his shirt.

This attack of rabid affection continued for a few minutes. Hana finally broke contact to take in deep breaths. Her cheeks were lanterns, her ears twitched almost nonstop, and she had a relatively unfamiliar but somehow very comforting warm feeling in her pants. She regained eye contact with Ryu, through huffing and heavy panting said, "You… Me… My room… second floor… Clothes… Gone… Sex... Now!" Then she took off full speed down the hall.

Ryu took up pursuit as soon as his mind comprehended what had just happened. When he rounded the corner at the end of the hall, he nearly tripped over a shoe. When he regained his footing, Ryu looked and saw another shoe, the match, at the bottom of the staircase. Then, he saw a pair of red velour pants a few stairs up. Hana was leaving a trail of her clothes for him to follow up the stairs to her room.

When Ryu arrived at his destination, he was greeted by a sight that he would remember until the day he no longer drew breath. There, in the middle of her room, stood Hana, in nothing but a pair of beautiful silk sky blue panties. Her long platinum blonde pigtails streamed down in front of her, covering the prize orbs and providing just enough fuel for his imagination to burn on. He could have sworn she was beaming with an eerie aura that only made her look even more enticing. In truth, she was. Hana was using her magic to produce a glow in the hope that it would further drive her dragon into action.

Ryu was nearly frozen in place as he stood there and took in all of Hana's sans-clothes glory. "Okay, Blue. Third question," she said. "Would you like to fuck me, right here and right now?" Ryu nodded his head repeatedly, fast enough to generate a small gust of wind.

"Good boy! But first thing's first though," she said. "Honey!" she called into the air. "Disable any and all surveillance on all of the second floor and erase all footage recorded in the last twenty minutes throughout the Tower."

"Right away, Hana," Honey responded over the Tower's intercom system in her high pitched monotone voice.

Then, Hana slung her head backward, flinging her pigtails over her shoulders and looked Ryu right in the eyes (eyes that happened to be focused on her now bare chest). From seemingly out of nowhere, she produced an old triangular chow bell and rang it. She then took a few steps backward toward her bed and in as inviting of a tone as she could muster said, "Come and get it…"

~~~Tasteful fade to black~~~

* * *

**A/N ~ Okay, so the finished product is not as dirty as it was originally going to be. My original draft called for a nasty, yet awkward (but awesome and funny) sex scene in the library where Hana would have used some of Professor Repsol's old books as reference material for her first sexual encounter. There was going to be a great amount of detail with regard to anatomy and there was going to be a scene where Ryu would suddenly start to morph between his different dragon forms unwillingly. It proved rather cumbersome to write, so I just cut it and went with the unspoken truth of life that all living beings naturally just know how to go about the act of sex and went about the more tasteful ending.**

**As for the ending, I borrowed the "Tasteful fade to black" thing from one of my favorite writers here on FF.**


	8. MTP Ch 8: Dragons, Tigers, and Bunnies

Chapter 8: Dragons and Tigers and Bunnies. Oh my!

POV: The White Bunny

I can honestly say that my life, as odd as it is, is good. Though technically I am only six months old, I have by extension of my sister's life, existed twenty five years. And in all that time, I can say I have little regret. Especially now. Right now, I am in a period of my life that I most certainly am happy with.

Science, technology, being engineers, and a thirst for knowledge have always defined what my sister and I have done and sought after in life. But now, I have something else to live for. Something new to maintain. Something else to occupy my time. I have a love life. Of course, science will always be there, but now I also have a relationship to nurture. And indeed nurture it I shall.

Ryu has always been one of the kindest, most noble people we have ever met. As long as we have known him, he has always been at the ready to lay down everything to be there for those close to him. From his insistence on trying to protect the Princess in their youth from, to his pursuit of the truth with regard to Myria, to his timely appearance to rescue me, Ryu has long been the strongest fiber of thread holding our group of friends together. So brave and so strong, yet he is such a cute and loveable teddy bear when there is no danger. And he has such goof ball joker mentality that only endears him further to his friends.

This dragon. _**MY**_ dragon. I will hold him dear for as long as I live. He will be in my heart long after both of us are gone. I will do all that is in my power and more to make him happy in life. I will give of myself everything I ever possibly can to please him. I will be with him always. Ryu. My Ryu. My Blue Dragon. I am his. He is mine. So long as I draw breath, I will let nothing pull me away from him. Ryu now means more to me than anything ever has in the entirety of my short existence coupled with the life from which I was extended.

He is the prodigal son of the Brood. He is a master swordsman. He is an expert fisherman. He is a protector. He is a defender. He is jokester. He is my love. He is the most powerful person in the world, yet so humble. With his power, we stood against and defeated a so-called god.

He is likely the single most powerful entity to have ever walked the face of this planet, yet just last night, I was sitting on his face, the dominant will. Within him lies a force strong enough to liberate our world from an overbearing mother goddess, yet he turns to putty when he sees my breasts.

For all his strength, he could conquer this world. He could create and sit upon a throne holding dominion over everything the world over. And yet, all he desires is a peaceful life. He wants only to exist quietly in a calm life of fishing, eating, living with his brothers, and face planting in my cleavage. So noble. So humble. Such a goof… And I love him for it. Although, I think I may need to study up on that Motor Boat to English dictionary in the library. And I'm still not sure what the phrase "Tig O' Bitties" he keeps using means.

* * *

POV: The Blue Dragon

Funny how life goes sometimes, no? In the short span of a day, I have reunited with friends, met a copy of an old friend, got back my long lost brother, saved a friend's life, introduced my face to a set of right bodacious love muffins, and gotten into a relationship. Best. Day. EVER.

It started off simple enough. I got a letter from Princess Nina a few days back asking for Rei and me to meet her in the capitol. When we got there yesterday in the morning, she said she wanted to meet up with the old crew and "reminisce on times past". Rei thought she was just getting bored with life in the palace, and was looking for a way to blow off some of that steam.

I can't say I blame her. It must be crazy boring in there, and being watched all the time can't be good for you. And with the word going around of the king abdicating the throne to her, given his failing health and the death of Queen Sheila last year, on top of rumors of her possible betrothal, I can see why she would want to break away from there now and again.

With all that looming over her head, I guess Nina wanted to get the band back together one last time informally before she became queen. The three of us took off for Momo's Tower, and that's pretty much when the shit hit the fan. As soon as we got there, we would meet the sister Momo created by copying herself as well as a copy of my brother. After that, Rei and Momo hooked up and after a rescue on the road, I ended up together with Momo's sister Hana.

Truthfully, it felt a little weird calling myself a pair with and having sex with someone I had only just met that day. Something in the back of my head keeps telling not to worry about it because the details technically mean I've known her for like twelve years. And, to be perfectly honest with myself, I could care less how long I've known her. She is the sweetest girl, she can cook just as well as her sister, smarter than hell, and has a fine rack. Damn fine! It also doesn't hurt that we had the greatest sex in recorded history last night. It was, in a single word: Awesome.

I've never really been keen on the concept of love, never understood it basically, but in such a short time, Hana has shown me a different kind of affection that I've never had before. Aside from the fact that we seem to physically fit each other like a glove, as evidenced by last night's romp in the Tower, we seem to connect on a level I've never connected with anyone else before. It's a totally different feeling. I'm not sure what it is, but I think it's what the beginning of love is supposed to feel like. Whatever it is, I like it. I'm going to make sure nothing ever happens to it. I'm going to make sure nothing ever happens to her. Even if I've only known her for a day and even though I don't fully understand it, I think I love this little White Bunny.

* * *

POV: The Red Rabbit

The world certainly has a way of working things out. I will most likely never understand how or why things tend to happen as they do, but there is one thing I am certain of. Rei and I are meant to be.

Neither of us can really quantify what it is, but we both know there is something that just works between us. Though I suspect that a big part of it has a lot to do with how so very different we are in comparison to one another. I suppose it would be boring to be together with someone if you had a lot of the same personality traits and qualities as your significant other. Matters of the heart have always eluded my understanding as there is no logical basis to any of it for me to grasp. The closest I can come to it is by simply accepting the old adage of "opposites attract".

I really hope we can be together for a good long time. Rei is such an interesting person. Not just his personality quirks. The Woren have always been such a fascinating people. And while I know it would be a very odd conversation if I told him I wanted to study him, being with him all the time will certainly afford me a chance to get more insight on him and his race.

And then there is a thought that continually plagues me. I can not stop thinking about his random comment about how our children would come out if we ever decided to take it that far. I know now that he merely said it in passing as a joke at the time, but further thought into the concept has gotten me seriously considering what they would be like. Aside from the fact that it would certainly be an interesting study in cross race breeding, children would be one more thing to bring the two of us even closer.

The idea of us being brought even closer together is one I am most definitely on board with. Plus, being a mother isn't a completely repulsive thing. Maybe I would do well with it. I can not know until I have experienced it. But how do I go about mentioning it? I am relatively certain that his lower brain would revel in the thought of the opportunity of sex with the person for whom he has a strong physical attraction. But what would the Tan Tiger think if I told him so soon that I was truly contemplating having his children?

* * *

POV: The Tan Tiger

That damned rabbit… I can't get her out of my thoughts. And they are definitely not pure and wholesome thoughts either. My mind won't stopped thinking about how much I'd love do all kinds of filthy things to her. Damn… It had to be her. I know deep down I love her, especially since she gave us our brother back. But I just can't get past the dirty things that keep popping up in my head.

I guess it may have something to do with the fact that she has more curves than a page covered in 8's. That ass… It's just such a nice ass. And there's so much of it!

Aside from the obvious fact that I can't get my head out of the gutter thinking about her physical form, there's also what I think of her as a person. Momo has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is a true friend. The kind of person that is worth more than her weight in gold. The kind of person a guy would be willing to get close to. And I most definitely intend to get as close as possible, as often as possible.

I can't quite put a finger on it, but something about that girl just does it for me. Not just that big round mound in her pants or her cute little cotton puff tail that doesn't show through her clothes (I wonder if anyone even knows she has a tail). I even knew before she and her sister brought Teepo back that there was something about her that I wanted to be a part of. As long as I have known her and traveled with her, there's always been some untouchable "it factor" about her that just made me want to get closer. Well, now I have the chance to, and I won't waste it. As long as she doesn't get tired of having a big dumb man kitty around, I'll be right there with the Red Rabbit.

* * *

**A/N ~ A bit of a change from the norm, but this chapter was kind of an experiment. Also, there are a couple of things that are going to be really odd in the coming chapters. There will be some serious cameos and a pairing that no one would have seen coming. And considering my story takes place after the events of the game itself, I can say to hell with canon and play all I want.**


	9. Chapter 9: Heartfelt Contemplation

Chapter 9: Heartfelt Contemplation

After leaving the café, Rei and Momo had spent the entire night walking around Eastern Windia. They had no particular destinations in mind. They just wanted to be in each other's presence. When they weren't making conversation about times past, their journey together two years ago, and what would happen now that they were a couple, they were both locked in contemplative thought.

While Rei was mostly thinking of what Momo's lower half would look like in different colors and styles of underwear, Momo's entire train of thought was centered on Rei's comment about the two of them possibly starting a family. Even if he had originally meant it as a joke, she was genuinely considering having his children. Not only did she think it would prove a fascinating study in cross race breeding, but more importantly, she was curious about the stabilizing effect family had a tendency to have on a lot of people, and she hoped that it could serve to anchor Rei to her.

After many hours of aimlessly wandering the countryside, the pair finally decided to make their way back to the Tower. When they got to the Tower grounds, Momo felt she had to get her thoughts out in the open. As they entered the main foyer of the Tower's ground floor, she tugged at his hand to get his attention. "Rei," she called to him softly. As he turned to face her, Momo got in close and hugged up against him. "Rei, I've been thinking."

With a slight smile, Rei hugged back and playfully replied, "You? Thinking? Damn, Mo. That is one hell of an understatement."

Momo chuckled a bit at his playful barb. "You silly man cat. I'm trying to be serious here. Hear me out."

An eye brow shot upward in curiosity. "Umm… Okay. Go for it." Rei was all ears.

"Ever since you said what you did at the café, my mind has been consumed with the thought." Momo hugged into Rei's chest even tighter. "I can't stop thinking about what it really would be like if we were a family."

Mind… Blown. Rei had absolutely no earthly idea how to respond to or even comprehend what Momo was saying.

She felt him tense up and responded by affectionately squeezing him again. "I know it must come as a shock to you, being so sudden and all. But you know how quickly my mind tends to move. You've seen how fast some thoughts can run through me." He couldn't deny that. Rei had seen before how fast she tended to think things through, particularly in situations that involved problem solving.

"Rei…" she began. "Rei, I…" Momo was almost at a loss for words. She didn't really know how to phrase what she wanted to say. "Rei, can we…" She continued to stumble over her words. Momo stopped, pulled away from Rei, and took a deep breath to collect herself. She took a moment to carefully craft what she wanted to say.

Momo turned back toward him and locked her deep orange eyes on to his baby blue ones. "Rei. I'm tired of being alone. I lost my mother when I was young. I felt alone all the time because my father was infatuated with his work. When he passed, I was so lonely for years, until Ryu and Princess Nina showed up at my door. Never had I felt so alive as when I traveled with them. And with you… But then we all went our separate ways." She felt shame welling up, as what she was about to admit out loud would sting. "Part of why I made Hana was so I wouldn't have to be so lonely." She got back in close and hugged him tight again. "I want a family. I want us to be a family. I want to be the mother of your children." She punctuated each statement with another affectionate squeeze. After she spoke her piece, it fell silent. She could feel that he was standing stark still, not even breathing. She could also feel that his heart was racing.

After a moment of awkward stillness and silence, Rei stirred. He reached down to her waist and gently pushed Momo back a few steps. Then, his head almost instantly dropped and his eyes were locked on the floor at his feet. It was his turn to stutter and trip over his words. "Momo, I… We don't… I can't…" He fumbled repeatedly. He simply could not form the thought pattern and grasp the right words.

Momo's entire being went into panic mode. She couldn't help but think she might have inadvertently scared Rei off and that she might be losing him. Like her words were causing him to slip away. Stricken by that, she reacted on emotion. Momo lunged forward and fiercely wrapped her arms around Rei, squeezing as hard as she could, as if letting up would mean him getting away from her. "Rei! Please! Please don't go!" she cried out. She began sobbing openly and buried her head in his chest. After a minute of hard crying, she turned her head to the side and weakly, almost pleading, she let out, "I only just got you. Please… Don't leave me."

Rei could hear genuine pain and terror in her voice. It made him realize she was dead serious. He realized that she was being absolutely truthful about having his children. About being his wife. Rei was still unsure how to reply. He placed his hands on her waist again and pushed her back just enough to make direct eye contact. "Momo, I really don't…"

Before he could get any further, he felt Momo move a bit. She had pulled her arms back, and with her elbows, maneuvered his hands down a little so they were both squarely on the meatiest portions of her butt cheeks. Once his mind wrapped around what she had just done, Rei froze again. She looked up into his eyes for a second and then dug herself back into his chest. "Please… Rei, I don't want to be alone anymore."

"But, Momo…"

She cut him off. "Rei… No. I want this. I want you."

"Mo…"

She cut him off again and hugged tighter. "Stop it, Rei… Please."

"But, Momo, we…"

She just couldn't shake that feeling that she had managed to frighten Rei off and that he was slipping out of her grasp. In a last ditch effort to get him to be hers, Momo said something she didn't even know she was capable of. In the same weak voice from before, she spoke again. "Take me to bed or lose me forever."

She felt Rei freeze up again. There was another moment of awkward silence and stillness. When she felt him begin to move again, it caught her a bit off guard. His hands, which she had purposely moved down to her butt, were now firmly grasping handfuls of cheek meat. She looked up and saw that he was looking down at her.

Their eyes met and locked. In a low, comforting voice, Rei said to her, "Have my babies."

Momo exploded inside, but didn't let it show. Her emotions were running faster than a train on greased tracks and she had never in her life felt so happy. She didn't speak another word. She simply dug herself into his chest again and gave him the tightest, strongest squeeze she could muster.


End file.
